The blog & portfolio of Matthew J. Rogers

Bliss & Highway

If you would be kind enough to donate for my work on these themes, please PayPal me (donate $1, $2, $5, $10). Thank you!


These Blackberry themes can only be installed on devices with Blackberry Operating System 4.1 or later (if you need help, see Installing OS 4.1) and with the Plazmic Theme Reader installed. If you encounter any problems with these themes, feel free to use the comment system below to let me know.

OTA downloads of both themes and wallpapers are available on my mobile site, http://mobile.rogersmj.com.

Bliss 2.1

This theme is loosely based on the Windows XP Luna look, with design ideas borrowed from em3’s excellent Luna Element Windows XP visual style. A mix of soft colors and rounded corners, Bliss aims to be pleasant to look at and easy to use.

Update to 2.1: Small and large font versions added. Minor bug fix with menu graphic background.
Download for desktop installation (size 6 small fonts):
7100 series | 7200 series/7520 | 8700 series

Download for desktop installation (size 9 large fonts):
7100 series | 7200 series/7520 | 8700 series

Download source THM file for editing in Plazmic Theme Builder:
7100 series | 7200 series/7520 | 8700 series


Highway 1.1

A combination of silver with a soft copper color, along with a (mostly) new icon set, distinguish this theme. Like Bliss, it is easy on the eyes and looks good without getting in the way. Note: unlike the “GPRS Test Network” in the first preview image, your network’s name (Cingular, Verizon, etc) should fit inside the silver graphic.

Update to 1.1: Added 7100 version, small and large font versions.
Download for desktop installation (size 6 small fonts):
7100 series | 7200 series/7520

Download for desktop installation (size 9 large fonts):
7100 series | 7200 series/7520

Download source THM file for editing in Plazmic Theme Builder:
7100 series | 7200 series/7520

Updated on October 29, 2008

118 comments

  • bigdave February 7th, 2006 at 6:53 pm

    Wow thanks for getting these back up so quickly! Sorry about the hosting mess!!

  • blubyu February 7th, 2006 at 9:52 pm

    I left a little something in your paypal account. Keep up the awesome work.

  • Rick February 7th, 2006 at 10:00 pm

    On 7520 Bliss background doesn’t get installed.

    Just FYI

  • Matthew February 7th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

    That’s strange, I’ll look into it right away. Unfortunately I don’t have a real 7520 to test it on.

  • Rick February 7th, 2006 at 10:07 pm

    Worst case, can you post the .png?
    If not, I will be fine with Highway until you figure it out.

    Thanks!

  • Matthew February 7th, 2006 at 10:15 pm

    I’m actually working right now to get my mobile site working, which has all the BB wallpapers. Should be up in a few minutes, I’ll let everyone know!

  • Matthew February 7th, 2006 at 10:43 pm

    Ok the mobile site (http://mobile.rogersmj.com) is up! You can get the wallpapers from there and install the themes OTA.

  • Brian February 8th, 2006 at 3:02 am

    Matthew just a suggestion; i like that top banner that you have for the highway theme. If you replace that banner with the curve banner bliss, i think it would be great.

  • Rick February 8th, 2006 at 3:01 pm

    Sent you a few bucks.

  • Matthew February 8th, 2006 at 4:16 pm

    Brian: Thanks for the suggestion, but the banners are one of the most defining parts of a theme that makes one different from another. I think I’ll leave the banners where they are.

    Rick: Thank you so much! It’s very appreciated!

  • Carlton February 8th, 2006 at 7:07 pm

    No way to increase the font for these tired old eyes once I install Bliss on my 7100?

  • Matthew February 8th, 2006 at 7:10 pm

    Unfortunately, that’s a limitation of the Plazmic software at this point. Your font settings don’t affect anything except for the text inside your messages.

  • Carlton February 8th, 2006 at 7:20 pm

    Really like the theme but I need to increase the font on the messages and phone logs, Thanks.

  • Matthew February 8th, 2006 at 8:53 pm

    OK I added the source .thm file for Bliss, you can now download it and use the Plazmic software to change the font to whatever you want, re-export the theme, and install it on your BB.

  • Ralph February 8th, 2006 at 10:33 pm

    I have to say Mr. ROgers your theme creations are absolutely beautiful, vibrant and classy!!!!

    Thanks you very much for all your hard work you put into these themes!

    Ralph aka REDGOAT on BBForums

  • Shane February 9th, 2006 at 2:27 am

    Just downloaded both themes for the 7290. They look great. I bookmarked you page and hope to find more. When I have a little extra cash I will definelty donate. I am also going to try to make a theme and will share it with you for your opionion when I am done.

  • Patrick February 10th, 2006 at 3:35 pm

    Love Bliss and Highway – but the inability to change the font and sizes is too tough for me to accept. I”ll be watching for these changes and will definitely reload for my 7250 os 4.1

  • andrew hooper February 11th, 2006 at 2:33 pm

    when using these themes, I am unable to add a “CC” or “BCC” so i can only email or pin one person at a time. Any clues, maybe i did something wrong? Hopefully you can help me out, i have a Bell canada 7250….other than that they are fantastic

    Thank you

  • Matthew February 11th, 2006 at 2:35 pm

    You know, I’m really not sure what could cause that. I don’t have that problem, and no one’s mentioned it until now. Let me check with a friend of mine who has a 7250 and see if he has the same problem. This wouldn’t be the first bug we’ve found in OS 4.1 for 7250.

  • andrew hooper February 12th, 2006 at 1:59 am

    I figured it out, i just wasnt sure how it worked, when you go to pin there is a second “to” and a “cc”, i didnt realize that you could type in them to find a name. Tres cool!!! I would like to design my own themes, where would i start finding icons and backgrounds, any advice

  • andrew February 14th, 2006 at 4:21 pm

    Hello,

    After installing the 4.1 OS, etc..

    It seems my browser is missing from the “icons”

    I am not using enterprise server

    Thanks

  • george February 15th, 2006 at 6:07 am

    great job.they look great on my 7520. is there any way you can attach the source file for the highway theme (or e-mail it to me)? i like the highway theme but want the icons from bliss and would also like to change the text to clarity (size 7). thanks in advance.

  • Patrick February 16th, 2006 at 2:32 pm

    Same old comment – great great theme but the font size limitation is a bummer on my 7250 w/ 4.1

  • Gor Mahia February 17th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    I have tried everything to install new themes on my 7290, including installing 4.1 but Application Loader won’t let me install any of the alx files, says “No applications for your device were found.” WHat do I do? Thanks!

  • Patrick February 17th, 2006 at 5:11 pm

    Gor-did you remember to click ADD and indicate where the .alx file(s) is located?

  • george February 18th, 2006 at 3:39 am

    Why does bliss go to my apllication file? I also have 4.1 desktopp software but have 4.02 on my 7290. I wish someone would PLEASE explain how I can upgrade.

  • Matthew February 18th, 2006 at 3:41 am

    George — As I stated above, you need to have OS 4.1 on your Blackberry to use custom themes. Read the very first paragraph I have on this page. There’s a link there to instructions on installing OS 4.1. If you need more help, http://blackberryforums.com is a great resource.

  • John February 19th, 2006 at 10:24 pm

    Hi Matthew, I just downloaded both themes for my BlackBerry 7290 OS 4.1. Love bliss and highway themes. I have tried everything to install the new themes on my 7290, but nothing seem to work. Can you please help me on this matter. I installed the Plazmic Theme Reader first, then both themes and (ADD) added them through the Application Loader. But no theme appears on my 7290.

    Please advise.

    Thank you

    John W. Wilson
    Bancers@tmo.blackberry.net

  • John W. Wilson February 19th, 2006 at 10:30 pm

    Hi Matthew, I just downloaded both themes for my BlackBerry 7290 OS 4.1. Love bliss and highway themes. I have tried everything to install the new themes on my 7290, but nothing seem to work. Can you please help me on this matter. I installed the Plazmic Theme Reader first, then both themes and (ADD) added them through the Application Loader. But no theme appears on my 7290.

    Please advise.

    Thank you

    John W. Wilson
    Bancers@tmo.blackberry.net

  • Matthew February 21st, 2006 at 10:16 pm

    John,

    The only thing I can suggest is to make sure you have rebooted your device — although I thought the device automatically rebooted when you loaded stuff using the Application Loader. Are you on a BES with any security restrictions? I haven’t heard of that happening, but you never know.

  • Steven R. Davis February 22nd, 2006 at 11:53 pm

    Hey Mathew,
    Great themes! I have both on my 7520. Forgive me for the ignorance but how do I apply the THM file? It does not appear as an option in the desktop loader unless I select the ‘All files’ option. Is that it? I didn’t want to try that without consulting you first…

    Thanks in advance,

    Steve

  • Matthew February 23rd, 2006 at 3:52 am

    Steven–

    I’m not sure I understand what you’re trying to do. The THM file is the source file that can be modified in the Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit (which contains the software I used to make these themes) and then re-exported to an ALX/COD or JAD format to load on the Blackberry. The THM file cannot be installed on the Blackberry.

    Does that answer your question?

  • Steven R. Davis February 23rd, 2006 at 4:28 pm

    Mathew,

    I have no idea what you just wrote, right over my head. You list the THM file above as ‘a good way to change the font if you want it bigger’. Is that something I can do without any other software? Not a big deal really, my eyes are not all that bad yet. Thanks for the response. I left you a donation for your efforts sdavis10…
    I look forward to any future themes too!

    Thanks again,

    Steve

  • Matthew February 23rd, 2006 at 4:33 pm

    Steve–

    Your donation is greatly appreciated, thank you!

    You must have the Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit (which in turn requires the BlackBerry Software Development Kit, which in turn requires the Java Software Development Kit) in order to modify THM files. I put the THM file up there at the request of some members at BlackBerryForums.com who wanted to modify it in the Plazmic software to make the font sizes bigger (since the limited Plazmic theme setup prevents this right now). I think the next time I get into all my theme files I’ll make small and large text versions — maybe size 6 and size 8 — so that almost everyone can get what they want without having to modify the theme themselves.

  • Steven R. Davis February 23rd, 2006 at 9:16 pm

    Mathew,

    I found all of the above and am attempting to navigate through the Theme Builder/Composer. I think I’ve got a lot of reading/playing to do and it may indeed be over my head but I dig this kind of stuff so I’m going to give it a go. I’m also a football junky so my intent is to create a ‘Bolt’ theme (San Diego Chargers). If I’m successful I’ll be happy to send it to you for posting and distribution if you’re interested. No reciprocation required. Just sounds like fun. I’ll let you know how it goes…

    Thanks

  • g2_nextel February 27th, 2006 at 7:17 pm

    Mathew,

    can you please post the THM file for the highway theme? i really like the theme but i like the icons from your bliss 2.0 theme better. i just want to modify it and also change the text to clarity (size 6). thanks in advance for your help.

    g2_nextel from BlackBerryForums.com

  • Matthew February 27th, 2006 at 9:59 pm

    I have updated the themes to have both size 6 and size 7 versions. I have also released a new 7100 version of the Highway theme. Please let me know if any of the files are incorrect; my head is swimming trying to keep track of all the different versions for different Blackberries with different fontsizes and different installation methods.

  • g2_nextel February 28th, 2006 at 3:12 pm

    Mathew,

    Thank you very much for posting the THM file for the highway theme. I modified the theme and tried to add the same icons from your Bliss theme but my icons(from plazmic)do not look as good. Did you modify the icons in any way? Is there any way you can send me the icons that you used for the bliss theme or let me know how you modified them. thanks in advance for your help (again) .

  • Ashley March 8th, 2006 at 5:29 am

    I have installed the desktop software v 4.1 as well as this version of the os for my BB 7290:

    7290M_PBrER4.0.2_rel82_PL1.8.0.142_A4.0.2.49-Rogers

    However when I install your plazmic reader, I do not get an icon for it, should I? I see no way to load the themes without an icon.

    AM

  • Matthew March 8th, 2006 at 5:34 am

    Ashley–

    The plazmic theme reader isn’t an application you can actually use; hence, it doesn’t have an icon. It simply allows the Blackberry to read third-party themes you install on the device. Install the themes like you would install any other software.

  • Ashley March 10th, 2006 at 8:38 am

    Its ok, figured it out. See its misleading when the only version 4.1 of the software is chinese, of course once you download it and install it and realize its not going to install in Chinese only, but English too, then its all good. As you’ve pointed out, your themes don’t work on earlier versions of the BB OS, so once I updated it all worked.

    AM

  • JRivera March 16th, 2006 at 10:34 pm

    Hello,

    I have a BB7250 but have not been able to install the .cod files as it indicates there is a syntax error on line #1. So far I have just installed the Pazmic Theme Reader and the Bliss Large fonts also an .alx file. So far I cannot see your theme.

    Please help.

    -J

  • Jag March 19th, 2006 at 1:27 pm

    Bliss Rocks!

    Smartly done!

  • Cam March 26th, 2006 at 3:49 pm

    Is there currently an issue with the mobile site? I’m getting error 400 trying to connect from the device. I think your themes look awesome, but can’t seem to connect to download. I’m using a 7520 (nextel) with 4.1

  • Zoolander March 29th, 2006 at 6:27 pm

    I cant ever get my themes to work same with this theme was em i doing wronge?

  • Jonathan April 3rd, 2006 at 12:57 pm

    Just wanted to mention that I managed to download the Blackberry wallpapers to my Samsung T309 and they look wonderful. Due to the lack of free wallpapers out there on WAP, I greatly appreciate this! Thanks.

  • Rick from PA April 5th, 2006 at 10:40 am

    I have upgraded the manager to 4.1, but my 7250 shows v4.0.0.204 I have not been able to use the themes. Bliss Highway and Plazmic show up under applications, but not in themes or as icons. I received this message when trying to install from the desktop manager.

    Warnings were encountered during the loading process:

    The following modules could not be loaded because their digital signatures were invalid.

    com_plazmic_theme_Bliss__large_fonts_.cod
    com_plazmic_theme_Bliss__small_fonts_.cod
    com_plazmic_theme_Highway__small_fonts_.cod

    Any guidance would be appreciated

  • Matthew April 5th, 2006 at 10:43 am

    Rick, notice that one of the very first sentences on this page is “Blackberry themes can only be installed on devices with Blackberry Operating System 4.1 or later.” You’re not going to get any themes installed unless you upgrade to OS 4.1.

  • CCarlton April 5th, 2006 at 11:54 pm

    Don’t forget everyone. If your blackberry has connected to a BES server and has an IT policy on it blocking the loading of apps then your pretty much out of luck. If your device was issued by your work and your e-mail is sync’d with it chances are you’re up a creek.

    “The following modules could not be loaded because their digital signatures were invalid.”

    You will get this error upon trying to load anything.

  • GD April 6th, 2006 at 12:40 pm

    not working on my 7520…..!? and i have the reader…..hmmm

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